Proudly wearing the hats of actor, presenter and now director, Lungile “Lungsta” Radu has successfully ascended the ranks in SA’s television world.
As such, he hasn’t been the easiest to track down for an interview, which is a nightmare for a journalist.
After several frustrating attempts, via the mediation of Vuzu’s publicist, my doggedness was finally rewarded and he commented on Forever Young.
Perhaps best known these days as S’bu Vilakazi on e.tv’s Rhythm City, Radu continues to explore his options in the realm that either embraces or rejects talent.
Having made a name for himself by hosting the Channel O shows Kasi 101 and O-Boma, Radu went on to host Set if Off and Shout it Out for the channel.
He branched out by presenting It’s for Life on SABC2 and e.tv’s second season of Fear Factor SA.
In Vuzu’s übermacho reality series Forever Young, Radu teams up with Siya Ngwekazi and Thomas Gumede as three friends who “follow their hearts and live in the moment in pursuit of their dreams”.
As the director and creator of the show, he clarifies his vision for the reality series that he also stars in: “It is a show about three guys and their lives. That’s the first reason I think people want to watch it; there are many reality shows out there, but Forever Young is different, from its pace to its execution to its entertainment value. I can say with confidence that the bar has been raised!”
On the catalyst for the show, he says: “I was really disappointed with some of the productions on our channels. I was tired of being that critic who is always complaining, saying you can do better, but actually doing nothing about.
“So with that said, I put a team together, shot the damn show, pitched it to the channel and the rest is history
“Never in my life have I been more stressed; it turned out to be a lot more difficult than I thought.”
As for the partnering with Ngwekazi and Gumede, he says: “Myself, Siya and Thomas have always been boys. We didn’t necessarily work together, apart from a few MC gigs. But we knew if we had to share screen time, it would be quite something.”
Radu says the viewers will get a glimpse into their lives and their tribulations, which include girlfriend issues and work politics, and a broadening of their horizons on their various travels.
With a firm foot in Rhythm City and Vuzu, it looks as if Radu is getting the best of both worlds. That’s a feat he can certainly be proud of. Now if only he stopped playing dodge ball with the media… sigh!
• Forever Young airs on Vuzu (DStv channel 123), Fridays at 7pm.